To: Governor Greg Abbott, Texas State Legislators, U.S. Representatives, and U.S. Senators

We, the undersigned, are demanding immediate action to address the escalating animal crisis across Texas.

Animal rescues are not just overwhelmed—we are drowning.

Every day, towns across Texas are seeing an alarming increase in dumped dogs. Dogs are being abandoned on back roads, left at closed shelters, tied to fences, or simply turned loose to fend for themselves. Entire litters are being discarded like trash.

At the same time, backyard breeders continue to flood the population, producing litter after litter with little to no accountability. While rescues are begging for help and turning dogs away due to lack of space, more dogs are being intentionally brought into an already overrun system.

The Reality:

Dogs are being dumped daily. Rescues, animal control, and the public are witnessing a surge in abandonment cases across our communities.

Backyard breeding is making this worse. Unregulated breeding continues unchecked, adding to an already critical overpopulation problem.

There is no space. Rescues and shelters are beyond capacity. Foster homes are maxed out. There is nowhere for these animals to go.

There is no funding. Rescues rely almost entirely on donations while covering rising costs of vet care, food, and supplies—many are operating in debt.

There is no staffing. Most rescues are run by a handful of exhausted individuals, often unpaid, working around the clock.

There is no relief. The calls never stop. The need never slows. The resources are gone.

When rescues say, “We are closed to intake,” it is not a lack of compassion—it is a lack of capacity. Taking in more animals under these conditions puts every dog already in care at risk.

What We Are Asking For:

We are calling for immediate, enforceable action:

State-funded support and grant programs for animal rescues to help cover veterinary care, food, and operational costs.

Mandatory and accessible spay/neuter programs to reduce overpopulation at its source.

Stricter regulation and enforcement against backyard breeding, including penalties for unlicensed breeding and irresponsible sales.

Stronger enforcement of animal abandonment laws, with real consequences for those dumping animals.

Public education campaigns on responsible pet ownership and the reality of the current crisis.

Partnerships between local governments and rescues that provide real support—not just passing the burden.

Texas has a serious and growing problem.

Dogs are being dumped faster than they can be saved. Breeding continues while rescues are forced to shut their doors. The system is collapsing—and the people holding it together are breaking.

Rescues cannot fix this alone.

We are asking you to acknowledge this crisis and take action now—before more lives are lost and more rescues are forced to close.

This is not just an animal issue.

This is a community responsibility and a statewide failure that must be addressed.